December is here – #GoldenTicket and Advent Calendar

It’s December, no matter how hard certain members of the TWE blog team have been trying to deny it – Rocky ‘Krampus’ Lancer, we’re looking at you – Christmas is now definitely on the way. We’ve launched our Christmas page over on the website, but along with that we’ve got a couple of other great things to tell you about – #GoldenTicket and our annual Fine Spirits and Whisky Advent Calendar.

Our #GoldenTicket prize draw has returned, and we have five great prizes to give away, all whiskies that received awards in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2016.

We have Jim’s World’s Best Whisky, Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye, his third best, Midleton Dair Ghaelach, and fourth, last year’s William Larue Weller from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. We also have the unwieldily named ‘Best No Age Statement (Multiple Casks)’, the 2009 release of the venerable Ardbeg Supernova – a cracking whisky that we now sell for £350.

The fifth bottle we’re giving away is a secret – we’ll have more details later in the month…

All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning a bottle from the list is to order something from the site between today and the end of December – we’ve got five Golden Tickets and we’ll drop one into a random box from time to time during the month: each ticket gets a specific bottle from the list, which the winners will find out after entering a secret code number into our site.

Every order is eligible and we’ll be keeping everyone informed as to how things are going on Twitter and Facebook.

Our second seasonal treat is the Advent Calendar. This year, we’ve changed things round a bit and will be running 24 offers over the next 24 days, each lasting just 24 hours – midnight to midnight each day in December leading up to Christmas. We’ve got whisky, spirits, liqueurs and Champagne behind the doors, and we’ve got great deals on each of them. Just click through below to open today’s door…

As a sneak preview, all we’ll say is that if you like Johnnie Walker, then make sure you check the Advent Calendar tomorrow – the deal, in Sesame Street fashion, is brought to you by the number 20% and the colour gold…

TOMATIN TASTING 26 NOVEMBER 2015, PERTH

They made me go! I was dragged kicking and screaming … Tomatin is one of my favourite drams, so I really reluctantly agreed, was it really worth all the effort? AYE it was. Alistair did a wonderful job of hosting this evening event in Perth at Exel, with my pal Keron pouring the drinks, heavier than usual by the way.

From 23 stills in days gone by, once the largest distillery in Scotland, I didnee know the largest shareholder (days gone by) was a coal miners collective! Tomatin in the Gaelic; the hill of the juniper bush, I also didnee know 80% of the people living in the cottages nearby actually work at the distillery. With a warehouse capacity of 220k casks and a max production of 2.5 million litres (used to be 15m), it is sold in over 30 countries worldwide. Going back again in time, any blend, aye … any blend would have had a dribble of Tomatin hidden in there, they used to sell 99.9% to blenders, not any more thankfully, now they offer fantastic single malts – I’ll get to them – with maybe W&M being a blend they still supply. Japanese owned since 1984, this distillery we reckon gives maybe 3% to the angels, being a highland laddie with varying temperatures. So, to the sampling from the 12 remaining stills … we started with Tomatin 12yo. At 43% it is chill filtered, bourbon cask and sherry finish 6 – 9 months, ah, they do sometimes add a wee bit o colour/caramel. I think maybe USA is a big market for this one, a cheeky wee highland malt, could easily pass for a Speyside, good value, nice but no a favourite I have to say.

Moving on to the Tomatin 14 yo, this was really good, a port finish, 46% non chilled, 13 years in bourbon and a year in Tawny Port pipe. A pinky colour (no added colour) you can taste the port influence, but not overly so. Yep, liked this one. By the way, Tomatin have no plans to drop age statements. Third up, the 18 year old (my best dram of the night), their signature dram, 16 years bourbon followed by 2 in Oloroso 1^st fill, this has the intensity that makes it a cracker, at £45 at the tasting who could resist? I bought three, one I gave to Mr Chan, kept the other two myself for a dark, cold, snow filled night – on my own (maybe will share with Liz at our staff get away). Non chilled, I recommend this to everyone. A water break, no much mind, then onto a cask strength jobbie, not a single cask, non chilled again, at 57.5% this reminded me of a Glenmorangie Signet, chocolate and sherry, 12 – 16 year olds, this almost took first prize of the night, reckon just a midgie’s whisker away from the 18 yo. This gem ended our Tomatin tasting, but – more to follow, we had a Cu Bochan (koo bakan) single malt, lightly peated, virgin oak, the name in Gaelic; the ghost dog, or wolf. It was good. Followed by Cu Bocan Bourbon, refil cask, limited edition.

The night ended there (whisky), many thanks to Alistair and Keron, by the way Keron, will be back for a cask bottle. A great tasting, lovely drams and informative, learned a lot. By 8pm I was starving, so dondered over to Mr Chan’s place for food, got home eventually, woke up next day with clothes everywhere but two bottles of 18yo and my Tomatin glass neatly shelved! What’s the next one? I have to say, before the Tomatin tasting, I was involved with a Macallan tasting earlier that night, Amber, Sienna and Ruby, only the latter came close to the Tomatins.

 Paul McLean  http://whiskytours.scot/

Scotland – Land of Whisky 2016
Calendar for Scotland lovers and whisky fans

The pagoda roofs of the Dalwhinnie Distillery are a unique landmark in the Scottish Highlands. They decorate the title of a new calendar especially for Scotland lovers and whisky fans: „Scotland – Land of Whisky 2016“. The Germany-based photo journalist Michael Schmidt lived in Glasgow for two years time and was busy as a press correspondent and tourist guide. In Scotland, he learned a lot about the national drink. He started taking pictures of whisky distilleries and went on to self-publish a calendar in 2010, which is now available in the UK for the first time.

Scotland – Land of Whisky is full of pictures shot at famous distilleries per example: Deanston, Dalwhinnie and Fettercairn. It depicts unique moments of the art of whisky production. One motive shows the sanctum of Aberfeldy Distillery – its dark and damp warehouse packed with wooden casks. Michael Schmidt talks about shooting pictures at distilleries: „It is rather difficult to get a permission to take pictures inside the buildings. It takes time and some persuasion.”

The calendar is not just an eye-catcher for whisky fans. It shows all the ingredients of a Scotland lover´s dream: cute Puffins, the dramatic mountain scenery of Glen Coe and secluded sandy beaches in the far North.

The German design agency K.Design in Wiesbaden was in charge of layout. The small calendars (210 x 148 mm) cost 10,80 £, the large prints (420 x 297 mm) 17,90 £. For order details please contact: reporter@schmidt-punkt.de. Postage is additional, depending on the number of orders.

The photographer Michael Schmidt, born in 1974, works as freelance reporter and photo journalist in Langen (Hessen) near Frankfurt am Main in Germany. He organizes journalistic and photographic projects related to Scotland. He spent two years in Glasgow, working both as a correspondent for German media and as a travel guide. His major topics are renewable energy, media issues, religion, politics and the history of Scotland. In Germany he hosts whisky tastings and provides multimedia lectures about Scotland – his home away from home.

Michael Schmidt Photo Journalist  Freelance Reporter Voltastr. 4 63225 Langen (Hesse) Germany Tel.: 0049 6103-2027544 Mobil: 0049 173-7479269 E-Mail: reporter@schmidt-punkt.de Web: www.schmidt-punkt.de

Whisky Offerings from Scotland’s Oldest Working Distillery

Soon Christmas will be here and we’ll be taking a (tiny) little break to enjoy a wee dram in front of a cosy fire whilst the snow falls silently outside (we can hope), Christmas songs play quietly in the background and Santa gets ready to embark upon his big journey (remember to leave out a wee tipple – or two).

Until then though, we have lots of exciting things to tell you about this December. From new collaborations to gifts galore, we’ve got just the thing to help you with your festive shopping this year.

Let us tempt you with some offerings straight from our store. Don’t forget that all items are available to purchase here at our online store or on site. The last order date for Christmas delivery is December 18th. Make sure you don’t miss out.

The Famous Grouse Mellow Gold

The newest addition to the Famous Family, Mellow Gold has been carefully crafted by our Master Blender Gordon Motion to deliver a subtly sweeter, mellow flavour. With scents of orange peel and vanilla, perfumed with a hint of lychee and matured in sherry and bourbon casks to deliver a smooth, well rounded whisky. Get your Famous whisky online here or in store.

Personalised Bottles

Looking for something ‘special’ this Christmas? Why not personalise the label on a bottle of The Famous Grouse? The perfect gift for any whisky lover. Just visit our online store here to personalise and order yours today.

The Distillery and the Visitors Center: Now Completed!

Things were a little hectic this fall as we finished up construction on both the distillery and Visitors Center. We still have some work to do over the winter and spring on the grounds but are excited to announce the distillery is now up and running (read more below) and the Visitors Center is open. Stop by and see us soon! The Visitors Center is open daily for tastings, Monday – Saturdays, 11AM – 5PM and Sundays 1PM – 5PM.

At the Visitors Center, relax by the fireplace in the winter and in warmer months, hang out on the porch or patio and enjoy the pace of Nelson County life as you enjoy a whisky and cocktail flight.

The cocktail tasting menu is seasonally inspired and all mixers are made in-house as we work with local farmers and purveyors as much as possible. This approach allows us to highlight what we love best about the Virginia Highland Malt, our flagship whisky. (You may notice we have a new logo and new packaging — more on that below.)

In the spring, we will launch our tour program, which will give visitors a “behind-the-scenes” look at whisky-making. A walking tour of the distillery building, as well as a video and museum experience, will give guests an insiders look into single malt whisky production. We’ll keep you posted as we plan out events surrounding the opening of the tour program. The distillery is currently not open to the public.

Upcoming Events:

Join us at the Visitors Center this Saturday, December 5th, for our first annual Winter Warmer. Flora Artisanal Cheese will be out to share samples and tips for entertaining throughout the holiday season, and Kendra Bailey Morris, author of The Southern Slow Cooker, will share one of her favorite whisky-inspired dessert recipes. Live music from Butch Taylor and a warm fire will keep you entertained. We will also be accepting donations on behalf of Nelson Pantry, and Virginia Distillery Company will match the donations collected in the month of December. Festivities start at 11AM and go through 5PM on Saturday. See you soon!

The festive season is now well and truly upon us. But for the first time ever, I enter the season with a tinge of sadness, because as we say hello to Christmas it means we say goodbye to our 200th anniversary year, which has been, for me personally, my favourite year here so far (and its had tough competition).

I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for helping make this year such a special celebration. I have travelled all round the world and the welcome I received, and indeed all of our brand ambassadors have received, in this momentous year has been amazing…. so thank you.

This year, we released four new expressions, received a visit from HRH Prince Charles, sought out your views through the #opinionswanted competition (with the winning opinions placed onto tiles which now form part of our distillery wall) and our annual Laphroaig Live broadcast attracted record views. Furthermore, we also unveiled a celebratory stone cairn, launched our Legacy Fund to support sustainability on Islay, and premiered “What do the locals think”, our 200th Opinions Welcome film!

None of this would have happened without your continued support and encouragement. It is why Laphroaig is so very special, and it’s what makes me and my team get out of bed every day. And regarding this, a special mention must go to James MacGregor who has been here man and boy for the past 40 years. James hit this amazing work milestone on October 20th this year. Well done James. In addition to keeping the distillery going 24/7 to meet unprecedented demand for our fabulous whisky, we have just put the finishing touches to The Legend of Laphroaig, a limited edition book that would make an ideal winter gift for any Laphroaig lover. Details can be found here.

We are also feeling extra festive this year as we are proudly wearing our new Christmas jumpers. It’s only taken us 200 years to finally create one, but I’m sure you’ll agree it was worth wait! To celebrate, I have hidden five in my office to give away. Just send me photos via our Facebook page of your most extreme or embarrassing Christmas jumpers, and the five most entertaining examples will win one of our very own woollen wonders.

A last word from me, I’m particularly excited about a stunning new expression which we plan to launch in Spring 2016. Let’s just say the most richly flavoured of all scotch whiskies is about to get even richer!

Once again I thank you all for making this year such a memorable one. It will be hard to beat but we will do our best.

Slàinte Friends, have a wonderful break, and here’s to the next 200 years and beyond.

John Campbell Distillery Manager, Laphroaig

The Penderyn Dragon Range

70cl, 41% ABV.  The Penderyn Dragon Range of 41% whiskies: Legend with a Madeira finish Celt a Peated finish and Myth a Bourbon finish. Each is presented in a handsome new pack featuring a new dragon animation commissioned by Penderyn. Both Legend and Myth received gold awards in the World Whisky Masters 2015.

Myth £34.25
Celt £36.50
Legend £34.57

Buy now

The Glenturret Triple Wood Edition

The Glenturret Triple Wood Edition, part of the new Glenturret Core Range. A combination of American sherry oak, European sherry oak and American bourbon oak casks have been used to create the distinct oaky flavour of the Triple Wood Edition. Want to know more?  Here’s Lucy with her Triple Wood Edition tasting video. Enjoy!

Available to buy online and in store now!

A japanese whisky for every taste and any occasion

Japanese whisky has never been so popular, with the quality and reputation at an all time high. Here at The Whisky Shop we have a terrific selection of some of the finest Japanse whiskies available anywhere. The Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve is a wonderful balanced whisky. Full of soft, fresh fruits and Mizunara (Japanese Oak) aromas, this is a classic example of Japan’s number one whisky. Accompanied by The ice sphere mould to make the perfect ice ball and a stylish whisky tumbler.

£85 Click to buy

HIBIKI JAPANESE HARMONY

A new blend from Suntory that brings to life the harmony of Japanese nature and craftmanship. A delicate and well balanced expression that is both subtle and complex. A blend of more than 10 malt and grain whiskies to create a harmony of flavours and aromas.

Pale amber in colour. A delicate scent of polished copper and light vanilla to start with, developing complex floral, green, mossy then fresh oaky notes, changing all the time. A surprisingly dry mouthfeel, and a lightly sweet, then chilli-pepper taste, at full strength, mellowing with a little water, leaving a charred, oaky aftertaste.

£54 Click to buy

Hibiki 12 year old

Hibiki means resonance in Japanese. It speaks to the soul and emotions of the most discerning whisky lover. The legendary Hibiki represents true harmony, the ideal of perfection, the paragon of ‘The Art of Japanese Whisky’ and its artisans.

Numerous pure single malt whiskies aged in a variety of cask types, including Mizunara, a rare Japanese oak, all combine to create a dazzling, echoing roundness in the Hibiki 12 year old.

£49 Click to buy

Taketsuru 21 year old

The Taketsuru range is named after the founder of the Nikka Whisky Company, Masataka Taketsuru.

The Taketsuru whiskies are a combination of single malt whiskies from Nikka’s two distilleries, Yoichi and Miyagikyo. This award winning bottling is made up of whiskies which have been aged for a minimum of 21 years.

£195 Click to buy

Taketsuru 17 year old

In the 17 year old, a high percentage of the whiskies have been aged in ex-sherry casks, resulting in a deep, rich, complex whisky with more than a hint of smoke and oak.

The strength of this whisky lies in the way the subtle aroma of peat builds up over time,” says world-renowned British whisky critic Jim Murray in appreciation of Taketsuru 17 Years Old. Its mellow, well-rounded nose and palate are sure to please.

£135 Click to buy

Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt

Released in 2014, this no-age statement Taketsuru bottling is a blend of malts aged 10 years on average in different types of oak casks A high percentage of Miyagikyo malt gives a fresh fruity character, joined by mature aromas from an important sherry-cask influence.

Both masculine and feminine, traditional and innovative, this outstanding pure malt whisky is a worthy tribute to Masataka Taketsuru, the father of Japanese whisky and founder of Nikka.

£65 Click to buy

Miyagikyo

In the heart of a preserved natural setting, the MIYAGIKYO distillery in Japan combines expertise and modernity in a constant search for finesse and elegance. Intense fruit aromas characterize the younger malts of the Miyagikyo distillery. Smooth and delicious, light yet intense, this no age statement Single Malt bottling is a fine whisky to enjoy before a meal, and a fine introduction for those new to Japanese whisky.

£55 Click to buy

This week Joe Ellis reviews the the Swiss Santis Malt Cask Strength Peated Single Malt.

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